LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 1 of 25 Living Waters Lutheran College CRITICAL AND EMERGENCY INCIDENT MANAGEMENT PLAN Definition Critical and Emergency Incident Death, or life-threatening injury, of a student or staff member at school, or following an incident that occurred at the school, or through a related school-based activity or circumstance; • Circumstances that pose a critical risk to the health or safety of one or more students or staff; • Receipt of an allegation of child abuse, including but not limited to sexual abuse, committed against a student by a staff member or student, or another person on the school premises or during school related activities, whether the abuse is alleged to have occurred recently or in the past; • Issuing a formal warning to a staff member or ceasing the employment of a staff member for a breach of the Staff Code of Conduct suspected to be grooming behaviour; • Any incident requiring school closure, lockdown, or a reduction in the number of students or staff attending. A circumstance posing a “critical risk” for the purposes of this definition is one which would, if action had not been taken or the risk otherwise averted, have resulted in death, life-threatening illness or life- threatening injury to one or more students and/or staff. Rationale Living Waters Lutheran College endeavours to be a safe school at all times. This Critical and Emergency Incident Plan exists in part to ensure the well-being of everyone within the workplace and school environment during and after a critical and emergency incident. The intention is to minimise trauma and distress to students and staff and damage to property and to ensure the teaching and learning program is maintained or resumed. Since every circumstance is different this management plan is seen as a guide only. Some points of the plan may not be appropriate in every circumstance. Living Waters Lutheran College has developed a Critical and Emergency Incident Team (CIT) to coordinate actions should a critical and emergency incident arise. The members of the Spiritual and Pastoral Team (SAPT) are the CIT. The team consists of the Principal, Deputy Principal, the College pastor and no more than three elected members from both the auxiliary and teaching staff.
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LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 1 of 25
Living Waters Lutheran College CRITICAL AND EMERGENCY INCIDENT
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Definition
Critical and Emergency Incident
Death, or life-threatening injury, of a student or staff member at school, or following an incident
that occurred at the school, or through a related school-based activity or circumstance;
• Circumstances that pose a critical risk to the health or safety of one or more students or staff;
• Receipt of an allegation of child abuse, including but not limited to sexual abuse, committed against
a student by a staff member or student, or another person on the school premises or during school
related activities, whether the abuse is alleged to have occurred recently or in the past;
• Issuing a formal warning to a staff member or ceasing the employment of a staff member for a
breach of the Staff Code of Conduct suspected to be grooming behaviour;
• Any incident requiring school closure, lockdown, or a reduction in the number of students or staff
attending.
A circumstance posing a “critical risk” for the purposes of this definition is one which would, if action
had not been taken or the risk otherwise averted, have resulted in death, life-threatening illness or life-
threatening injury to one or more students and/or staff.
Rationale
Living Waters Lutheran College endeavours to be a safe school at all times. This Critical and Emergency
Incident Plan exists in part to ensure the well-being of everyone within the workplace and school
environment during and after a critical and emergency incident. The intention is to minimise trauma and
distress to students and staff and damage to property and to ensure the teaching and learning program
is maintained or resumed.
Since every circumstance is different this management plan is seen as a guide only. Some points of the
plan may not be appropriate in every circumstance.
Living Waters Lutheran College has developed a Critical and Emergency Incident Team (CIT) to
coordinate actions should a critical and emergency incident arise. The members of the Spiritual and
Pastoral Team (SAPT) are the CIT.
The team consists of the Principal, Deputy Principal, the College pastor and no more than three elected
members from both the auxiliary and teaching staff.
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 2 of 25
Objectives
The Critical and Emergency incident Team will manage the critical and emergency incident in a calm and
appropriate manner, which best meets the needs of staff and students through:
Offering a healing process
Keeping the lines of communication open with all concerned
Contacting appropriate support personnel as necessary
Helping the school to re-establish normal routines as soon as possible
Immediate response to a Critical and Emergency incident
The Principal will:
Obtain first aid/emergency services if necessary
Meet with executive staff to obtain information
Meet with the rest of the Critical and Emergency incident Team to assess the incident and
identify “at risk” staff/students. See appendix one for Suicide/Attempted Suicide, appendix two
for terminally ill student.
Notify the Director General of the Department of Education through the Critical and Emergency
Incident Report within 48 hours of the incident. The Executive Director of LESNW and the Chair
of the College Board will also be informed as a matter of urgency.
Plan a course of action
Locate areas that will be used for support centres
Arrange release of personnel (on consultation with Head of School/s)
Establish a daily plan to allow for normal routines as quickly as possible
Organise defusing (debriefing where necessary) to ensure that the following are informed:
o Heads of School who will then inform their staff.
o Administration and supporting staff.
o Students (depending on the incident, either at school assembly or in classes).
o Absent staff.
Sample media statements, scripts to students and parent letter are set as appendices.
Continue to monitor staff/students for signs of grief/stress
In cases of death of a child the class teacher is to be informed first. A senior teacher will replace
this teacher in the classroom if required.
Complete the Critical and emergency incident report form and submit to DES within 48 hours.
Contact appropriate network personnel
The Deputy will:
Obtain facts regarding the incident
Deal with media through the Promotions Officer, deal with other important phone calls, notify
persons who need to be informed etc. See sample in appendices.
Continue ongoing liaison with Principal and Critical and Emergency incident Team
Devise a letter to parents outlining the situation. See sample in appendices.
Organise necessary relief staff with Head of School/s and Daily Organiser
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 15 of 25
Appendix 5
Terminally ill student
The management of a terminally ill student will be primarily the concern of the Head of sub-school
through the student’s class teacher or pastoral carer, with assistance from special resource people - eg
pastor or school counsellor.
It must be borne in mind that a student will often make his/her own choice of the adult in whom he/she
wishes to confide. This choice must be respected and the chosen adult will have a pivotal role to play in
being available to the student, in maintaining the student’s confidence and confidentiality and, if other
than one of the staff persons referred to above, in relating to the latter in the management of the
student.
The student should be encouraged to continue to participate in as many activities as possible for as long
as possible. When active participation is no longer possible, involvement in student activities - eg
scoring, timing, recording in physical activities, should be maintained wherever practicable.
Though the level of participation and performance by the terminally ill student will change, the
behavioural expectations should remain consistent with those imposed on his/her peers.
The terminally ill student and his/her family should be consulted frequently to maintain up-to-date
information, and to discuss with them which of the following information may be shared with the
student’s immediate peers:
particular aspects of the illness;
periods of absence from school;
limited participation in activities;
changes in physical appearance;
particular needs of the student versus the student’s desire to maintain independence.
Particular attention must be paid to discuss with the student’s peers and their teachers their own
feelings of comfort and discomfort, stress and distress and patterns of caring behaviour.
All staff members who teach the terminally ill student must be regularly kept informed of the student’s
current condition, and clearly versed in emergency procedures.
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 16 of 25
The following may be helpful:
The child needs to talk to an adult about fears and questions - yet is naturally protective of the parent and often avoids these subjects to spare the parent. It is sometimes a teacher who becomes the listening person for a dying child. If you can do no more than actively listen, you very probably will have done the thing that matters most.
Talking is the second thing we can do for the dying. Terminally ill people can fear increasing isolation almost as much as they fear increasing pain. So it is important to feel comfortable talking about things that interest them, answering questions directly, but being careful about offering more information than is requested.
Continuing to do routine activities as long as possible, or being invited to come along with other students, helps the terminally ill student feel part of the peer group and know that he/she is wanted.
Touching tells the dying person that he/she is not frightening and is valuable.
When the terminally ill student is absent for a period of time - eg through hospitalization for treatment or is no longer able to attend school, regular contact should be maintained. This can take the form of a teacher visiting and continuing to do a modified amount of school work with the student. It certainly should take the form of regular visits to home or hospital by small groups of peers on a rotational basis, and the sharing of class experiences for as long as possible.
In the case of the death of a student who has been terminally ill, particular attention should be paid to
two factors:
the terminally ill student’s peers may have become strongly and personally identified with his/her fight for survival;
the family of the deceased student may have become strongly and personally identified with their child’s class or close peer group. Contact between the family and the class or peer group should be carefully maintained and shared during the grieving period following the death.
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 17 of 25
Appendix 6
Checklist for ensuring actions are covered.
ACTIONS COORDINATED BY
Identify and offer more specialised personal support to vulnerable and/or most affected staff and students.
Provide recovery support and advice for students/staff/parents about the normal cycle of recovery and indicators that extra support may be required.
Follow up contact with family/families involved to express sympathy, arrange retrieval of personal items of student/staff member as appropriate and discuss school role in ongoing support.
Update information to staff, parents, and students, as appropriate. Rumour control.
Special considerations for suicide, including contagion effect.
Cultural considerations
Death notice
Memorial service
Funeral attendance, with attention to the wishes of the family
Continuing support for students and staff
Notifying staff who are not at school
Alert teachers to be sensitive to curriculum content
Maintaining documentation
Ongoing liaison with other affected or vulnerable schools
Consider ex-students
Process for meeting visitors (e.g. community people most affected)
Interagency liaison
Links with neighbouring schools
Instruct receptionist as to what information is to be told to parents and others
Review responses and continuing needs
Acknowledge people who have supported the school
Review school records/mailing lists and amend as appropriate
Operational debrief
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 18 of 25
Appendix 7
Emergency Contact Numbers
Ambulance/Fire/Police 000
Local Police Station 131444
Crisis Care 92231111
Dept Child Protection 95270100
Health Direct (24hr medical advice) 1800 022 222
Kidshelpline 1800 55 1800
Lifeline 131114
Mental Health Emergency Response
Line (MHERL)
1300 555 788
Poisons Info Centre 131126
Peel Health Campus 9531 8000
R’Ham Voluntary Emergency Services 95248217
Mandurah Water Rescue 9535 4789
Telstra Directory Assistance 1223
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 19 of 25
Emergency Contact Numbers of Staff
Role Name Phone Numbers
Daytime Mobile Out of Hours
Principal Francois Pienaar 504 0433 583 114 0433 583 114
Deputy Principal Ronnie Cooper 575 0419 762 110 0419 762 110
College Chaplain
Business Manager Wayne Burman 507 0407 823 071 0407 823 071
Head of Secondary Deborah Kluczniak 527 0422 428 899 0422 428 899
Head of Primary Johan Davies 561 0452 160 174 0452 160 174
School Student Family Counsellor Vernishia Wheatley 536 0466 369 269 95923217
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 20 of 25
Useful Contacts
Contact Phone Numbers
Daytime Mobile Out of Hours
Warnbro Community High School – Kya Graves, Principal 9553 0100
Warnbro Primary School – Gordon Murdoch, Principal 9593 2363
South Coast Baptist College – Des Mitchell, Principal 9528 2838
LSA District Office – John Proeve (08) 8267 8401 0427 591 859
WA District Bishop – Mike Fulwood (08) 9227 8072 0417 179 093
Phone Provider(s)
Telstra Faults 132 999
Translation and Interpreting Services (24 hrs) 131 450
Local Government –
Bus Contractors
Martin Boondy (Boondy Buses)
Anne Emslie (Bus Right)
9581 9929
9537 1080
0419 881 329
0438 531 811
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 21 of 25
Spiritual and Pastoral Team and Critical and emergency incident Team
Name Phone Numbers
Daytime Mobile Out of Hours
Francois Pienaar 504 0433 583 114 0433 583 114
Ronnie Cooper 575 0419 762 110 0419 762 110
Vernishia Wheatley 536 0466 369 269 95923217
Kelly Liley 535 0423 245 344 0423 245 344
Lynne Hart 522 0414 862 056 0414 862 056
Craig Gough 509 0414 835 579 0414 835 579
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 22 of 25
Younger children may display the following reactions:
Emotional: Crying, sadness, clinging/separation anxiety, irritability, confusion, fear of sleeping alone, the dark, animals, people.
Regressive/Behavioural: Bed-wetting, regression in language and speech skills, thumb-sucking, disobedience and aggression, lying and exaggeration.
Children may display greater anxiety when being left at school by parents or relatives. They may also giggle and laugh inappropriately when they feel anxious.
Physiological: Changes with eating, complaining of pain, vomiting and bowel or bladder disorders. Some might have disturbed sleep or bad dreams.
Parents can help by reassuring children that they are safe and will be cared for, and by listening and talking to them about the experience.
Children react in different ways, within different timeframes, so providing a warm, secure and accepting environment will help with grieving.
Most children's reactions diminish over time.
If you have ongoing concerns talk to the classroom teacher, Deputy Principal or Principal, so that further support can be discussed.
Living Waters Lutheran College PO Box 997 Rockingham WA 6968 Phone 9593 1211
Living Waters Lutheran College
Helping your child when someone dies
General Guidelines for
Parents and Caregivers
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 23 of 25
• Communicate in an open honest way while giving age appropriate explanations.
• Children frequently become unnecessarily upset by misunderstanding.
• Try to use concrete language and terms, so as to reduce confusion.
• Use terms dead, death, died, or culturally or religion-appropriate language. Saying that someone has gone on a journey, or is asleep, may be taken literally.
• Allow time for understanding, short conversations, repeated questions and mulling over.
• Do not hide your own feelings. However, seeing extremely distressed parents or teachers can further upset children.
• Don’t brush aside feelings of guilt. Talking through is more reassuring.
• Avoid unnecessary separations.
• Be ready to talk about children’s anxiety with regard to something happening to their parents or themselves.
• Say goodbye in your own way. Viewing the body, attending the funeral, visiting the grave, a prayer or memorial service, or lighting a candle may help. Families should make whichever decision is comfortable and appropriate to them.
• Accept children's regression, moods, tears, clinginess and changes in play willingly.
• Look at albums and photographs and keep reminders of the dead person present.
• Remember the deceased on birthdays and holidays.
• Strive for continuity in home, school and sporting activities.
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 24 of 25
Young people react in different ways, within different timeframes, so providing a warm, secure and accepting environment will help with grieving.
The following reactions may occur:
Emotional/ Behavioural: Crying and sadness, hopelessness or inadequacy feelings, attention-seeking behaviour, rebellion and disobedience at school and at home, decreased school performance and school work, avoidance of school or sport or social activities, increased stress, tension or depression, anti-social and risk-taking behaviour, or even lack of emotion or any unusual behaviour.
Regressive: Young people may display behaviours more in keeping with younger age groups, such as wanting to be around parents more or checking where you are, less interest in socialising or wanting to spend more time with friends, and sometimes they may seem less responsible or sure of themselves.
Reassuring student that these overwhelming feelings are normal in the circumstances and will pass with time.
Listening and talking to them about what has happened.
Recognising that there is no one standard way to deal with a loss. Some people react immediately with obvious signs of grief. Others take longer to come to terms with the reality and may react later, but with much less outwards emotion. Some prefer to grieve privately.
Trying to keep continuity in home, school and sporting activities.
If you have ongoing concerns please talk to a Deputy Principal or Principal, or one of the Year Co-ordinators, and further support can be arranged.
Living Waters Lutheran College PO Box 997 Rockingham WA 6968 Phone 9593 1211
Living Waters Lutheran College
Helping your Adolescent
when someone dies
General Guidelines for
Parents and
Caregivers
LWLC/Critical and emergency incident Management Plan page 25 of 25
• Adolescents have a need to have their feelings accepted by their peers and they tend to seek their comfort and support, spending hours going over the events of the incident together.
• Parents should not feel excluded. Young people feel more secure because they know you are in the background.
• It’s OK to use the terms dead, death, died, or culturally or religion-appropriate language.
• Feel free to express your emotions, within your own level of comfort. However, seeing extremely distressed parents or teachers can unsettle adolescents.
• Say goodbye in your own way. Viewing the body, attending the funeral, visiting the grave, a prayer or memorial service, or lighting a candle may help. Families should make whichever decision is comfortable and appropriate for them.
• Unjustified feelings of guilt may surface. Don’t brush these aside. Talking this through helps to reassure the young person.
• Be alert for anger outbursts and aggression, particularly with young men. This can be their way of unloading and resolving pent up emotions. Involvement in football or a hard run is a tried and true solution. Others get their relief from a punching bag. Pulling a pillow apart has been known to allow physical exertion, laughter and a covert tear or two.
• Keep a check on rash decision-making. Decisions about leaving school, changing goals or giving up social or sporting activities should be delayed.
• Be ready to talk about the young person’s fears and anxieties if they have concerns about something happening to loved ones or themselves.
• For some adolescents the experience may have challenged their sense of security and they can become overcautious and reluctant to take risks. Others may become involved in reckless or dangerous behaviour.
• If your adolescent displays strong emotional reactions though having had little or no contact with the deceased, do not be overly concerned. Some young people use these times to dwell on the complexities of life or to grieve about another loss.